Tour de France 2025: Tadej Pogacar powers to sensational stage win and retakes yellow jersey
The UAE Team Emirates-XRG rider had started the day 29 seconds behind overnight leader Ben Healy but would blow away the opposition with an 11km solo ascent in what is the latest unforgettable ride of an already a remarkable Tour career.
Pogacar looked unstoppable as he powered to victory, finishing a whopping two minutes 10 seconds ahead of rival Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) meaning the Slovenian enjoys an overall lead over the Dane of three minutes 31 seconds. Olympic champion Remco Evenepoel is third, a daunting 4 min 45 sec back.
It defeated Pogacar's previous best Grand Tour winning margin by three seconds, achieved on the final mountain stage of last year's Giro d'Italia. And it was achieved on a climb where had he been thoroughly beaten by Vingegaard in 2022.
German rider Florian Lipowitz (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) was third, a further 13 seconds back behind three-time champion Pogacar who also secured his 20th Tour win and 102nd overall victory.
'The first time I rode Hautacam, when I did a recon, it was a super nice climb,' Pogacar said. 'I was looking forward to riding this climb and then it was in the Tour de France in 2022.
'I was trying with my head through the wall to get back the yellow jersey but Visma was too strong back then.
'I almost forgot about that. I was just looking forward to today, then all the people, all the time were, coming to me saying 'oh yeah, this is the revenge time', blah blah blah.
'Then when we approached the bottom of the climb it was the reverse story of a few years ago. One Belgian guy again on the front, Tim [Wellens], and our team. I'm super happy to take time [out of Vingegaard] and win on this climb.'
It was a stunning turnaround for Pogacar who suffered a crash towards the end of Wednesday's Stage 11 which left him with cuts and bruises but did not affect his GC position.
Dr Adrian Rotunno, medical director of UAE Team Emirates-XRG, confirmed he was good to go despite the fall.
'After a full examination post-stage, fortunately Tadej suffered no serious injury – no concussion or fractures,' he said before Thursday's stage. 'He has some general bruising, and abrasions to his left forearm and hip, but is otherwise OK.
'We will continue to monitor him, but at this stage he is medically cleared to continue racing.'
Pogacar would make a mockery of any concerns by producing an imperious ride that would end with French President Emmanuel Macron being on hand at the mountain top finish to offer his congratulations.
'For sure, you don't know how the body reacts after the crash but it was not too bad,' added Pogacar. 'It was not a bad crash. I feel my hip only if I do acrobatics, but I'm just riding a bike so it's not flexing. I sweat a bit more but maybe it's good.
'We did a super job. The team rode really well … It was hard for everybody but we were super strong. We had this stage in mind for a long time and we did it.'
Worse for any pretenders hoping to stop the defending champion is that Friday's Stage 13 comes in the shape of an uphill individual time-trial from Loudenvielle to Peyragudes that the Slovenian said this week he was looking forward to.
Irish rider Healy took a beating on his second day defending the yellow jersey as he slipped off the pace on the first climb, while doggedly trying to limit his losses. He is now eleventh, more than 13 minutes behind Pogacar.
The 21-stage race will conclude on July 27 in Paris.
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